A GROUP of campaigners, including families in housing need, have kicked off a period of public engagement to shape plans for the transformation of the former Mackie’s site in Belfast into a climate resilient community.
Over 50 architects and urban planners from six continents expressed an interest in designing the ‘first of its kind, climate resilient community’ as part of an international competition.
Fifteen finalists from countries including USA, Mexico, Ireland, India, England, Australia and Iran have entered designs to illustrate how the 25-acre publicly owned space could be used to help tackle the issues impacting the surrounding communities.
The competition is the latest stage of a trail-blazing participatory city shaping campaign led by homeless families with the support of human rights organisation, Participation and the Practice of Rights.
The Mackies site is located between North and West Belfast – an area of long standing poverty with the greatest housing need in the North of Ireland.
Take Back The City campaigner Marissa McMahon explained: "Our vision for Mackies is to start to build a city fit for the future. A future without peace walls dividing communities, where every child has a safe and sustainable home. This vision has been shaped by years of campaigning and it has really ignited the imagination of international designers.
"Its exactly what this place needs. Fresh eyes on the problems that have left the city divided, people in poverty and homelessness out of control. The politics is in a sorry state. Business as usual isn’t working. So why not try something new?"
Marissa said that Mackies has been vacant now for nearly twenty years while people living around it struggle to put a roof over their heads.
"Belfast has so much untapped potential but we can’t keep backing projects like Tribeca which leave the city derelict," she continued.
"Over the coming weeks we are holding art exhibitions, public meetings, political engagements and conversations of all shapes and sizes to help get as much feedback as possible.
“We are inviting everyone, not just the many thousands of families who are suffering desperate poverty and homelessness in our city, but absolutely everyone. Elected representatives, developers, Ministers, Chief Executives, experts, officials, whoever, to look at these world class designs, to feedback their thoughts. It only takes a few minutes on your phone or come to any of the public events."
